2016 - What Matters in Increasing Community College Students’ Upward Transfer to the Baccalaureate Degree: Findings from the Beginning Postsecondary Study 2003-2009

Attribution: LaSota, Robin R., & Zumeta, William
Researchers: Robin R. LaSotaWilliam Zumeta
University Affiliation: Development Services Group, Inc.; University of Washington
Email: robin.rae.lasota@gmail.com
Research Question:
1) What is the relative impact of community college students' choice of program of study, academic and social participation in college, academic performance in college, external demands, and background characteristics upon their rates of transfer to 4-year institutions? 2) Which institutional characteristics of community colleges help explain differences in individual probability of transfer after considering student-level characteristics? 3) Which state characteristics and state-level articulation and transfer policies help explain differences in upward transfer probability among students entering public 2-year colleges, after controlling for influential student and college characteristics?
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Research in Higher Education
Journal Entry: Vol. 57, No. 2, Pp. 152-189
Year: 2016
Findings:
  1. A few community college characteristics and state transfer policy components (such as a state articulation policy, cooperative articulation agreements, transfer data reporting, etc.) demonstrated a statistically significant association with individual upward transfer probability within 6 years of community college entry.
  2. Gross state product (GSP) per capita is a positive and significant predictor of individual transfer probability.
  3. They found a positive association between the presence of a statewide transfer guide and students’ upward transfer probability.
  4. For first-generation students, the presence of common course numbering (identical course numbering for similar courses between 2-year and 4-year institutions should facilitate ease of transfer and reduce the number of students taking non-transferable credits) is associated with much greater odds of transfer.
  5. The presence of a state-adopted transferable general education curriculum was negatively associated with upward transfer probability for STEM/ humanities/ education majors.
  6. For transfer-oriented student majors, the presence of a state articulation and transfer policy is significantly associated with upward transfer probability.
  7. Student characteristics found to be influential and positive for increasing upward transfer probability included: having an intention for upward transfer at entry, attending primarily full-time, working between 1 and 19 h per week (not more or less), and declaring a transfer-oriented major in STEM, Arts and Social/Behavioral Sciences, or Education.
  8. Student-level factors that were negatively associated with upward transfer probability when controlling for state and institution characteristics included: attending primarily part-time; taking any remedial courses in the first year; and being first generation to earn a BA (both low-income and not low-income first generation students).
  9. Racial identity did not explain variance in transfer probability after controlling for low-income and first generation status.
  10. The college’s average proportion of associate’s degree completions in health and vocational fields, majors have significantly lower transfer probability overall. This is an indicator of institutional focus.
  11. College average transfer-out rate was also a significant predictor of upward transfer probability. However, a college’s ”transfer climate” apparently has its primary impact on those who planned to transfer initially.
Scholarship Types: Journal Article Reporting Empirical ResearchKeywords: CollegeCommunity College StudentsPolicySTEMTransferRegions: NationalMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: Secondary Survey DataAnalysis Methods: HGLM Sampling Frame:Community College Students
Sampling Types: Nationally RepresentativeAnalysis Units: CollegeStateStudentData Types: Quantitative-Longitudinal
Data Description:
  • Six sources of data are used in this study. The primary source is the Beginning Postsecondary Study: 2003-2009. The other sources of data are: (1) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for all community college characteristics; (2) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for county-level unemployment rates where colleges are located; (3) U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis for 2003 per capita Gross State Product (GSP) as a measure of state wealth at the beginning of the time period; (4) Barron’s Selectivity Index data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for nearest public-4 year institution for each public 2-year institution in the dataset; and (5) Education Commission of the States (ECS) for state policy data on articulation and transfer.
  • The sample includes students who were enrolled at least 3 months in a community college. Among this sample of community college entrants, 55 % indicated that they planned to transfer to a 4-year institution. The unweighted N=5010 for the full sub-sample of and weighted N=1,528,900.
  • DV: Transferring from a 2-year community college to a 4-year college.
  • IV’s:
    • State policy characteristics of public 2-year colleges, measured by: Gross state product per capita in 2003; state transfer data reporting present; state transfer incentives present; state transfer guide present; state adopted general education curricula; common course numbering; state transfer-oriented cooperative agreements; statewide articulation and transfer policy.
    • Characteristics of public 2-year college attended, measured by: County-level unemployment (avg. 2003-2008); proportion of associate’s degree completions on average (2003-2008) in health, vocational, technical fields; college transfer-out rate of first-time, full time students; per-student expenditures on instruction, student services or overall; average transfer-out rate; enrollment size; faculty-to-student ratio; % full-time faculty; % full-time students.
    • Student characteristics, measured by: Aged 15-19 at time of post-secondary entry; low-income and first-generation to earn baccalaureate; first-generation to earn baccalaureate, not low-income; low-income, not first-generation to earn baccalaureate; planned to transfer at post-secondary entry; declared transfer-oriented major in first year (arts and humanities, STEM, or education); declared health or vocational-oriented major in first year; GPA in first year; took any remedial education courses in 2003-2004; talked with academic advisor often or sometimes in 2003-2004; participated in sports often or sometimes in 2003-2004; worked zero hours per week on average; worked 1-19 hours per week on average.
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:Community College and STEM
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts